Indonesia

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Despite the increase in the number of female candidates in the parliamentary elections held throughout Indonesia on April 9, 2014, the country would likely fail to meet its target of increasing womens representation in the 560-seat Parliament for the 2014-2019 period.
Of 6,607 legislative candidates racing for the House of Representatives (DPR) seats in the elections, some 37 percent or 2,467 were women, up from 30 percent in the legislative elections in 2009.
On May 9, the General Elections Commission (KPU) announced the official results of the legislative elections, with the Indonesian... Read more

Despite the increase in the number of female candidates in the parliamentary elections held throughout Indonesia on April 9, 2014, the country would likely fail to meet its target of increasing womens representation in the 560-seat Parliament for...

Driven by the regional entities around the world, the ASEAN Secretariat and International IDEAwill host the Second Meeting of the Inter-Regional Dialogue on Democracy on 1 May 2012 in Jakarta.
The Inter-Regional Dialogue on Democracy is a platform for engagement among regional organizations on democracy. Apart from the ASEAN Secretariat, other participating organizations include the African Union, European Union, League of Arab States, Pacific Islands Forum, Organization of American States, and the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation with International IDEA as the facilitator... Read more

Driven by the regional entities around the world, the ASEAN Secretariat and International IDEAwill host the Second Meeting of the Inter-Regional Dialogue on Democracy on 1 May 2012 in Jakarta.
The Inter-Regional Dialogue on Democracy is a...

This video introduces Petronela Peni, the first woman village head in Flores. Gender inequality in her customs made the struggles of Peni and her women colleagues difficult, but gradually she won the trust and support of her people. As a village leader Peni is trying to make breakthroughs in simplifying funeral and wedding rituals which have been financially burdening poor villagers. Read more

This video introduces Petronela Peni, the first woman village head in Flores. Gender inequality in her customs made the struggles of Peni and her women colleagues difficult, but gradually she won the trust and support of her people. As a village...

They were a real political loss, as female candidates who many were former activists failed to win the elections, she said. "It turns out what we called the women movement is really fragile. Many activists have been working at the grass root level for decades, which is supposed to be the place to raise awareness among constituents and get votes," Ani explained.
For more information, please visit The Jakarta Post Read more

They were a real political loss, as female candidates who many were former activists failed to win the elections, she said. "It turns out what we called the women movement is really fragile. Many activists have been working at the grass root level...

When Diah Pitaloka took over the youth wing of Indonesia’s third-biggest political party two years ago, her male colleagues addressed her as “Pak,” which in Indonesian means “Mr.”
The world’s most populous Muslim country will now penalize political parties that fail to meet a requirement for females to make up at least 30 percent of candidates in the elections as it seeks to halt a widening divide between the sexes.
Indonesia ranked 97th of 135 countries last year on the World Economic Forum’s Gender Gap Index, down from 90th in 2011.
We invite our users to read the full article published... Read more

When Diah Pitaloka took over the youth wing of Indonesia’s third-biggest political party two years ago, her male colleagues addressed her as “Pak,” which in Indonesian means “Mr.”
The world’s most populous Muslim country will now penalize political...

The government's tardy response to a recommendation to revoke 154 discriminative bylaws against women have paved the way for the deliberation of 15 new equally discriminative bylaws, the National Commission on Violence against Women (Komnas Perempuan) said Friday.The bylaws, implemented in seven provinces and 16 regencies, contain rules on clothing, morality and religion, migrant workers and the criminalization of women, Ninik went on. Some oblige Muslim women to be veiled while others prohibit women from leaving their houses after 9 p.m. without being accompanied by her muhrim (lawful spouse... Read more

The government's tardy response to a recommendation to revoke 154 discriminative bylaws against women have paved the way for the deliberation of 15 new equally discriminative bylaws, the National Commission on Violence against Women (Komnas...

Pramono revealed this when explaining the preparations for the PDI-P congress on April 6 in Nusa Dua, Bali.A total of 471 branch administrators and 33 provinces, including 25 parted regions, said Pramono, have finished their meetings.The four branches that have proposed Guruh Soekarnoputra as Chairman are Asahan, Pulau Bintan Island, Puncak Jaya, and Punca.“Around 98 percent of support is for Megawati Soekarnoputri,” said the Deputy Head of the House of Representatives.
To read the complete news story please visit Tempo Interactive. Read more

Pramono revealed this when explaining the preparations for the PDI-P congress on April 6 in Nusa Dua, Bali.A total of 471 branch administrators and 33 provinces, including 25 parted regions, said Pramono, have finished their meetings.The four...

On special occasions in this rural Javanese town, women cover their heads, wear long flowing clothes and, according to Muslim custom, sit separately from the men in a place where they are barely seen and certainly not heard.But no one seemed to mind when the district leader, Rustriningsih, addressed an audience not long ago (the men in front, the women off to the side) in a green uniform that stopped at the knees and with her glossy black hair on show for everyone to see. Nor did they mind when she earnestly lectured them about the responsibilities of living in a new democracy.
To read the... Read more

On special occasions in this rural Javanese town, women cover their heads, wear long flowing clothes and, according to Muslim custom, sit separately from the men in a place where they are barely seen and certainly not heard.But no one seemed to mind...

Constitutional law professor Yusril Ihza Mahendra has questioned the 30 percent quota for women in the Indonesian electoral system, doubting the legal foundation of the quota and expressing a desire for the Constitutional Court to repeal it. Many women have defended the policy. The issue of quotas for women has provoked tough debate in Indonesia and in the world. Do we need such gender-biased policies?
(Read full article at: The Jakarata Post) Read more

Constitutional law professor Yusril Ihza Mahendra has questioned the 30 percent quota for women in the Indonesian electoral system, doubting the legal foundation of the quota and expressing a desire for the Constitutional Court to repeal it. Many...

Women legislative candidates added life to the Kartini Day celebrations in West Kalimantan on Tuesday with a possible unprecedented clean sweep of Regional Representative Council (DPD) seats.Maria Goreti, Sri Kadarwati Aswin, Erma Suryani Ranik and Hairiah took unassailable leads in the 26-candidate race and look certain to win the four DPD legislative seats.
To read the complete news story please visit The Jakarta Post website. Read more

Women legislative candidates added life to the Kartini Day celebrations in West Kalimantan on Tuesday with a possible unprecedented clean sweep of Regional Representative Council (DPD) seats.Maria Goreti, Sri Kadarwati Aswin, Erma Suryani Ranik and...

With three weeks having passed since the elections, and accusations of discrepancies in the ballot-count being lodged by more than a dozen districts, the KPUD has finally tallied up the votes from all five electoral districts. Of the 94 seats in the city council, 32 went to the Democratic Party, 18 to the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and 11 to the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), data from the Jakarta General Election Commission (KPUD) shows.
To read the full article, please visit Jakarta Post's Website. Read more

With three weeks having passed since the elections, and accusations of discrepancies in the ballot-count being lodged by more than a dozen districts, the KPUD has finally tallied up the votes from all five electoral districts. Of the 94 seats in the...

Political parties in Indonesia have to involve more women in politics, and not just encourage their appearance only during campaigns, a former deputy speaker of the People’s Consultative Assembly says. Mooryati Soedibyo, a businesswoman who was politically active during 2004-2009, said parties had to better prepare women candidates.
For more information, please visit: the Jakarta Post Read more

Political parties in Indonesia have to involve more women in politics, and not just encourage their appearance only during campaigns, a former deputy speaker of the People’s Consultative Assembly says. Mooryati Soedibyo, a businesswoman who was...

“The caucus will continue fighting for the proposed 30 percent quota for legislative candidates for women in the next legislative elections,” said GKR Hemas, DPD Deputy Speaker, citing an example.
To read the complete story please visit The Jakarta Post. Read more

“The caucus will continue fighting for the proposed 30 percent quota for legislative candidates for women in the next legislative elections,” said GKR Hemas, DPD Deputy Speaker, citing an example.
To read the complete story please visit The Jakarta...

Besides the absence of political will to comply with the legally required quota for women on candidacy lists, the verdict of the Constitutional Court ruling on the majority vote system has dashed the hopes of women seeking to gain 30 percent of seats at the provincial and regency level for the coming five years.
To read the full article, please visit The Jakarta Post's Website. Read more

Besides the absence of political will to comply with the legally required quota for women on candidacy lists, the verdict of the Constitutional Court ruling on the majority vote system has dashed the hopes of women seeking to gain 30 percent of...

In dealing with women’s issues in Jakarta, the candidates to be Jakarta’s next governor are apparently not all on the same page.
During a public discussion entitled “Perempuan Jakarta Nyari Gubernur” (Jakarta women seek a governor) on Tuesday, Alex Noerdin and Joko “Jokowi” Widodo focused on maternity needs.
Alex, who relied on his experience as the incumbent governor of South Sumatra, said that he would provide mother’s rooms, for things like breast-feeding and diaper changes, in private and state buildings, as well as day care facilities, and require all companies to honor women’s rights to... Read more

In dealing with women’s issues in Jakarta, the candidates to be Jakarta’s next governor are apparently not all on the same page.
During a public discussion entitled “Perempuan Jakarta Nyari Gubernur” (Jakarta women seek a governor) on Tuesday, Alex...

Women's representation in Indonesia's parliament has seen its ups and downs but has improved over time overall. For some years, the proportion of women in Indonesia's parliament was dismal. Despite affirmative action, it hovered around 10 percent. With democratization beginning in 1998, however, the movement for women's representation has picked up momentum and visibility. (After the resignation of President Suharto from office in 1998, Indonesia embarked on democratization. The democratic elections in 1999 produced a new parliament, and subsequently elections have been held and parliaments... Read more

Women's representation in Indonesia's parliament has seen its ups and downs but has improved over time overall. For some years, the proportion of women in Indonesia's parliament was dismal. Despite affirmative action, it hovered around 10 percent....

Indonesia’s national motto is “Unity and Diversity.”That motto is perhaps as much necessity as aspiration in a country which has 34 political parties in its national government and 300 ethnic groups in the country.On Monday and Tuesday, three Indonesian women – Husna Hidayati Darusman, Ipin and Syafitri – toured Grand Island to get a first-hand look at local government, which often operates on a non-partisan basis.
To read the complete article please visit The Grand Island Independent website. Read more

Indonesia’s national motto is “Unity and Diversity.”That motto is perhaps as much necessity as aspiration in a country which has 34 political parties in its national government and 300 ethnic groups in the country.On Monday and Tuesday, three...

The percentage of female legislators at the parliament has reached its highest level in history, but many parties, particularly women’s rights activists, have not yet seen any significant changes to the country in terms of gender equality and female empowerment. The newly-inaugurated chairwoman of the Indonesian Parliament Caucus for Women A.P. Andi Timo Pangerang spoke to The Jakarta Post’s Bagus BT Saragih to discuss the issue.
To read the complete news story please visit The Jakarta Post. Read more

The percentage of female legislators at the parliament has reached its highest level in history, but many parties, particularly women’s rights activists, have not yet seen any significant changes to the country in terms of gender equality and female...

Women are profoundly underrepresented in peace negotiations around the globe. In 2009, the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) reviewed 21 major peace processes held since 1992 and found that women constituted less than 8percent of delegates to talks and less than 3 percent of agreement signatories.This is a shameful record given that the United Nations specifically called on the world, through a Security Council resolution, to promote the role of women in peacemaking a decade ago.
To read the complete news story please visit The Jakarta Post Read more

Women are profoundly underrepresented in peace negotiations around the globe. In 2009, the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) reviewed 21 major peace processes held since 1992 and found that women constituted less than 8percent of...

The Second Meeting of the Inter-Regional Dialogue on Democracy was held from 30 April to 1 May 2012 at the Secretariat of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Jakarta, Indonesia.
The Heads of the Regional Organizations, their representatives and the Secretary-General of International IDEA had an open discussion on the theme,Promoting and ensuring inclusive political participation and representation in our regions. They recognized that political participation and representation are key expressions of democracy. They go beyond the act of voting during elections and include... Read more

The Second Meeting of the Inter-Regional Dialogue on Democracy was held from 30 April to 1 May 2012 at the Secretariat of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Jakarta, Indonesia.
The Heads of the Regional Organizations, their...

Research conducted by the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) found that local values impede women’s progression and participation in the country’s politics.
LIPI found that cultural barriers, founded on patriarchal values adhered to by traditional ethnic communities in the country had limited women at the local political level.
“In general, [patriarchal values] are still dominant in our society. Women who are active in public life can be easily found in big cities. However, in rural areas they remain in the domestic sphere,” LIPI senior researcher Syamsuddin Haris said on Wednesday.... Read more

Research conducted by the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) found that local values impede women’s progression and participation in the country’s politics.
LIPI found that cultural barriers, founded on patriarchal values adhered to by...

Amen's organizaion advocating gender equality was launched in Jakarta on March 17, 2011, giving women an unlikely ally in the battle against male dominance. The New Men Alliance (LLB) aims to promote awareness of women's rights among Indonesian men, according to the group's chariman, Nurhasyim. The group had around 50 members from Jakarta, Aceh and East Nusa Tenggara. The LLB would advance its cause by using social media, including Facebook and Twitter and their Web site, lakilakibaru.wordpress.com.
For more information, please visit: TheJakartaGlobe Read more

Amen's organizaion advocating gender equality was launched in Jakarta on March 17, 2011, giving women an unlikely ally in the battle against male dominance. The New Men Alliance (LLB) aims to promote awareness of women's rights among...

Bachelet visited Jakarta for three days earlier this week to give a keynote speech at an Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) ministerial conference on women and development on Tuesday morning.
During her short visit in Jakarta, Bachelet had the opportunity to have discussions with Vice President Boediono, Women Empowerment and Child Protection Minister Linda Amalia Sari, as well as Muslim scholars and members of society.
She also gave a public lecture on women leadership, in which she stressed the importance of women’s equal participation in politics to advance women’s rights and to... Read more

Bachelet visited Jakarta for three days earlier this week to give a keynote speech at an Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) ministerial conference on women and development on Tuesday morning.
During her short visit in Jakarta, Bachelet had...

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This guidebook provides brief and simple references on gender mainstreaming in legislative processes. In particular, the guide focuses on two of the three principal functions of the House of Representative (DPR) in Indonesia, namely producing legislation and forming budgets. Read more

This guidebook provides brief and simple references on gender mainstreaming in legislative processes. In particular, the guide focuses on two of the three principal functions of the House of Representative (DPR) in Indonesia, namely producing...

A Practical Guide to Constitution Building provides an essential foundation for understanding constitutions and constitution building. Full of world examples of ground-breaking agreements and innovative provisions adopted during processes of constitutional change, the Guide offers a wide range of examples of how constitutions develop and how their development can establish and entrench democratic values. Beyond comparative examples, the Guide contains in-depth analysis of key components of constitutions and the forces of change that shape them.
The Guide analyzes the adoption of the... Read more

A Practical Guide to Constitution Building provides an essential foundation for understanding constitutions and constitution building. Full of world examples of ground-breaking agreements and innovative provisions adopted during processes of...

The Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD) will hold the first ever Asia Pacific Feminist Forum (APFF) on 12-14 December 2011 in Chiang Mai, Thailand. This event will bring together 100-150 activists- women lawyers, academics, advocates and youth leaders. It will be an occasion to celebrate our collective achievements, reflect on our challenges and political climates, deepen feminist knowledge and analysis, strengthen our sisterhood, solidarity and collaboration, and reaffirm our resolve to advance women’s rights.
Workshops:
Workshops will be divided into four... Read more

The Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD) will hold the first ever Asia Pacific Feminist Forum (APFF) on 12-14 December 2011 in Chiang Mai, Thailand. This event will bring together 100-150 activists- women lawyers, academics,...

The assessment is designed to identify the specific elements and approaches which were most effective in encouraging women’s participation and leadership in political parties. Although drawn from NDI programs, the information gathered in this assessment is intended to be used by both individuals and organizations as a road map to help facilitate women’s political leadership worldwide. Read more

The assessment is designed to identify the specific elements and approaches which were most effective in encouraging women’s participation and leadership in political parties. Although drawn from NDI programs, the information gathered in this...

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The Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD) will hold the first ever Asia Pacific Feminist Forum (APFF) on 12-14 December 2011 in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The APFF will bring together women activists, lawyers, academics, advocates and youth leaders to celebrate our collective achievements, reflect on our challenges and shifting political environments, deepen feminist knowledge and analysis, strengthen our sisterhood, solidarity and collaboration and reaffirm our resolve to advance women’s rights. For more information visit the APWLD website. Workshops will focus on: 1. ... Read more

The Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD) will hold the first ever Asia Pacific Feminist Forum (APFF) on 12-14 December 2011 in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The APFF will bring together women activists, lawyers, academics, advocates and...

The Indonesian Women’s Caucus for Politics (KPPI) in Bali has started a movement for the greater representation of women in the legislature for the 2014 general elections.
The caucus will push political parties for a minimum of 30 percent women representation in their organizational structures and in legislative candidacies in next year’s election.
(We invite our users to read the full article published March 9 2013 by the Jakarta Post) Read more

The Indonesian Women’s Caucus for Politics (KPPI) in Bali has started a movement for the greater representation of women in the legislature for the 2014 general elections.
The caucus will push political parties for a minimum of 30 percent women...

This publication provides a set of guiding principles for constitutional reform based on practical experiences of constitutional reform processes in a number of countries (Bolivia, Ghana, Indonesia, Iraq, Kenya, Malawi, Zimbabwe and South Africa).
While the primary focus of the publication is on the role of political parties in constitution-building processes, the publication is also of relevance to other actors involved in similar processes as it provides the reader with an overview of common phases, characteristics, challenges and guiding principles that may be customised to country... Read more

This publication provides a set of guiding principles for constitutional reform based on practical experiences of constitutional reform processes in a number of countries (Bolivia, Ghana, Indonesia, Iraq, Kenya, Malawi, Zimbabwe and South Africa)....

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The Democratic Party of Indonesia (DPI) is seeking to attract more women to participate in the upcoming presidential candidate convention.
Nova Riyanti Yusuf, member of the DPI, said: “Personally, I would like women to come forward at the convention especially to compete with other candidates, [so that] our politics will be more exciting"
“We once had a female president, Megawati Sukarnoputri. The names of female figures should be raised. If there are women who would like to participate, don’t be shy.”
We invite our users to read the complete article published July 9 2013 Read more

The Democratic Party of Indonesia (DPI) is seeking to attract more women to participate in the upcoming presidential candidate convention.
Nova Riyanti Yusuf, member of the DPI, said: “Personally, I would like women to come forward at the convention...

“As a woman you have to work twice as hard as men in order to be recognized.” - Dewi Coryaty
iKNOW Politics: Besides being member of the Parliament you have been also a leading figure in your party. What challenges did you face as a woman in occupying these leading positions? And how did your background enable you to stand up to these challenges?
To be a leader of the party or to assume leadership in any organization one needs specific skills, including skills of good leadership. As a woman you are also expected to compete with male leaders in as far as efficiency, education, and reaching out... Read more

“As a woman you have to work twice as hard as men in order to be recognized.” - Dewi Coryaty
iKNOW Politics: Besides being member of the Parliament you have been also a leading figure in your party. What challenges did you face as a woman in...

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Emma Yohanna Candidate in the Municipal elections of Padang, Indonesia

I am Emma Yohanna and I’m from Padang, Indonesia. I am currently one of the 10 candidates running in the municipal elections for the town of Padang, where I hope to win and become mayor. I am also the first woman candidate for this position. It will be difficult for us, women, to change the mindset of the people of West Sumatra, where a leader is always perceived to be a man. Another obstacle for women is the high cost of campaigning, making it very difficult for us to start a campaign or even try to run for office.
My political career began in 2004 through the women’s caucus in Padang, where... Read more

I am Emma Yohanna and I’m from Padang, Indonesia. I am currently one of the 10 candidates running in the municipal elections for the town of Padang, where I hope to win and become mayor. I am also the first woman candidate for this position. It will...

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Despite efforts to increase the number of women in politics, they still face an uphill battle to join the male-dominated political world, a political expert has said.
Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) political analyst Siti Zuhro said women in general were still victims of discrimination.
We invite you to read the full article published January 13, 2014 Read more

Despite efforts to increase the number of women in politics, they still face an uphill battle to join the male-dominated political world, a political expert has said.
Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) political analyst Siti Zuhro said women in...

It is still fresh in our memory how dreadfully the media treated Megawati after she took leadership of the PDI-P in 1993. The mockery mounted during her tenure as vice president from 1999 to 2001 and as president from 2001 to 2004. Those were ambiguous days for the image of female politicians. Megawati proved that a woman could be the head of state. But, as she tended to avoid consultation with the public, she often drew derogatory lines from the media, who labeled her ‘Ms. Silence is Golden.’ Her political decisions were often interpreted as evidence of subordination to her husband,... Read more

It is still fresh in our memory how dreadfully the media treated Megawati after she took leadership of the PDI-P in 1993. The mockery mounted during her tenure as vice president from 1999 to 2001 and as president from 2001 to 2004. Those were...

This book analyzes the manifestations of fundamentalisms in the Asia-Pacific region and their impact on women as well as on democracy and politics in general. It includes strategies adopted by women’s groups and progressive women’s movements to resist these fundametalist developments. Read more

This book analyzes the manifestations of fundamentalisms in the Asia-Pacific region and their impact on women as well as on democracy and politics in general. It includes strategies adopted by women’s groups and progressive women’s movements to...

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The publication of Gender Equality Laws: Global Good Practice and A Review of Five Southeast Asian Countries, in part a response to the call from States parties for a resource establishing good practice guiding principles, is therefore a timely and important resource to assist actors, public and private, government and non government, in both the development of new gender equality laws as well as the implementation of existing gender equality laws. This publication examines and analyses gender equality laws from around the world, identifying those provisions that represent good practice from... Read more

The publication of Gender Equality Laws: Global Good Practice and A Review of Five Southeast Asian Countries, in part a response to the call from States parties for a resource establishing good practice guiding principles, is therefore a timely and...

These guidelines are a set of practical steps to assist governments, the non state sector and civil society to respond to women’s concerns and needs in post disaster situations. The guidelines have been developed based on the reports of the survey of women’s human rights violations in the aftermath of the December 26, 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami in India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and the October 2005 earthquake in Pakistan. Read more

These guidelines are a set of practical steps to assist governments, the non state sector and civil society to respond to women’s concerns and needs in post disaster situations. The guidelines have been developed based on the reports of the survey...

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KUCHING:More needs to be done to promote gender equality to strengthen women’s representation and allow women equal access to decision-making positions at all levels of society. Highlighting this yesterday, Minister of Women, Family and Community Development Datuk Fatimah Abdullah said women still face significant barriers to full and equal participation in the structures and institutions governing their lives.
We invite you to read the full article published July 12 2013
Read more

KUCHING:More needs to be done to promote gender equality to strengthen women’s representation and allow women equal access to decision-making positions at all levels of society. Highlighting this yesterday, Minister of Women, Family and Community...